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The President decides that he needs an opinion from White House Counsel Oliver Babish (Oliver Platt) on whether his MS cover-up constituted a criminal conspiracy. Meanwhile, an oil spill off the Delaware coast hits home to Sam, Josh must deal with a Mexican economic crisis, and C.J. searches for the source of a press leak about a possible change in the President's position on school vouchers. [more inside]
posted by Etrigan on Mar 2, 2017 - 1 comment

Toby is told about the President's multiple sclerosis, becoming the 17th person to know, and he and the President have a heated row over the matter. Meanwhile, the President considers an extensive security alert for the nation's airports, and staffers struggle to punch up a speech the President is set to give at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. [more inside]
posted by Etrigan on Feb 16, 2017 - 6 comments

Staffers are blindsided when an elderly Senator (George Coe) begins a Friday night filibuster before a vote on a crucial health care bill, until Donna discovers information that changes their perspective. Meanwhile, Toby is puzzled when the Vice President (Tim Matheson), normally a champion of the oil industry, volunteers to attack it for "price gouging", and Sam is alternately annoyed at and impressed by a feisty GAO intern (Cara DeLizia). [more inside]
posted by Etrigan on Feb 8, 2017 - 5 comments

It's Big Block of Cheese Day II: The Cheesening! [more inside]
posted by Etrigan on Feb 1, 2017 - 13 comments

The President is put in a tricky spot when the Surgeon General (Mary Kay Place) makes questionable comments regarding the legalization of marijuana, and his daughter Ellie (Nina Siemaszko) makes a comment supporting her to Danny Concannon. Toby spars anew with his ex-wife (Kathleen York) but finds a clever way to work on Social Security reform, and Sam gets tough with a film producer (Robert Knepper) who took a cheap shot at the President. [more inside]
posted by Etrigan on Jan 26, 2017 - 1 comment

For all intents and purposes, this is the second half of a two-parter, as we start just a few hours after the State of the Union, and the captured DEA agent situation in Colombia continues. We also see more of the fallout over inviting a cop long ago accused of brutality (Richard Riehle); and Senator Seth Gillette (D-ND) (Ed Begley Jr.) gets mad at Toby for the President's tack to the right. [more inside]
posted by Etrigan on Jan 19, 2017 - 1 comment

The President addresses the nation, and five DEA agents are taken hostage in Colombia. C.J. discovers an invited guest to the State of the Union speech has a questionable background, while Capital Beat does a three-hour show live from the West Wing. Josh, Joey Lucas (Marlee Matlin), and Donna run an important telephone survey that will influence a gun-control initiative the staff has been planning. [more inside]
posted by Etrigan on Jan 17, 2017 - 1 comment

Leo tries to convince President Bartlet of the importance of supporting a missile defense plan, while Lord John Marbury (Roger Rees) is appointed British ambassador to the United States. Toby and Sam clash over a speech the President gives to an environmental group. C.J. tries to talk a comedian (Rocky Carroll) out of embarrassing the Bartlet administration. [more inside]
posted by Etrigan on Jan 13, 2017 - 2 comments

With Congress reconvening, the White House is planning a "leadership breakfast" to encourage bipartisan cooperation. Toby locks horns in negotiations with the Republican Majority Leader's new Chief of Staff (Felicity Huffman) on minimum wage, against C.J.'s wishes and to a truly disastrous end. Both Sam and Donna try, and fail, to impress an influential newspaper columnist. [more inside]
posted by Etrigan on Jan 10, 2017 - 0 comments

Josh grows ever more anxious and volatile after his shooting, and is ordered by Leo to see a psychiatrist. C.J. uncovers a Nazi-looted painting at the White House and Sam voices support for tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma makes a guest appearance. [more inside]
posted by Etrigan on Dec 27, 2016 - 5 comments

NASA prepares to receive the first pictures from their new Mars probe, accompanied by a live broadcast with the President. Meanwhile, the Russian government covers up a missile silo fire, a report that the President doesn't like green beans poses an electoral problem in Oregon, and Josh investigates the consequences of honoring a man who called for Puerto Rican statehood. C.J. promotes a staffer to Deputy Press Secretary but then faces a slew of disappointed interviewees at a Kennedy Center concert. [more inside]
posted by Etrigan on Dec 13, 2016 - 8 comments

A shipload of Chinese immigrants lands in California seeking asylum, claiming to be persecuted Christians. In the meantime, Leo's sister is being vetted for a job in the administration, and Charlie is looking for the perfect carving knife. [more inside]
posted by Etrigan on Nov 29, 2016 - 7 comments